Three companies have signed contracts with Norway’s Marine Energy Test Centre (METCentre) to test new technology aimed at reducing the costs of floating offshore wind by demonstrating floaters equipped with 15+ MW turbines.

According to Norwegian Offshore Wind, this is the turbine size that will be relevant for future floating offshore wind farms.

The test area is located just a few kilometres away from the Utsira Nord zone, where Norway’s first commercial floating offshore wind farm will be located.

“This is very good news for innovation in floating offshore wind. The technologies now being planned at METCentre will be crucial when we get started with Utsira Nord”, said Arvid Nesse, head of METCentre and Norwegian Offshore Wind.

“If we are to get floating offshore wind started in Norway without further delays, it must begin at METCentre, so we can gain important knowledge from both the construction and operation processes, and thereby achieve the necessary cost reductions before Utsira Nord.”

Last year, METCentre, located off the west coast of Norway, received approval to expand its test area with up to four new test sites.

The world’s first floating offshore wind turbine is already located at the site, and in 2021, it was joined by the Stiesdal-developed TetraSpar.

In total, there is space for seven turbines at the test site, which can together produce up to 85 MW.

“To ensure diversity in both the supply chain and technology, we believe it is crucial that these three projects all receive support so that they can be realized before the start of Utsira Nord”, said Nesse.

“The most important thing the Norwegian government can do now is investing in demo and test projects, to ensure that commercial projects in the future will be profitable and require less risk mitigation.”

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